FIG 12.

In situ immunofluorescence data on infected brain tissue demonstrated alteration of Cx43 in GFAP-positive astrocytes. Cryosections of brain tissue from MHV-A59-infected and mock-infected mice were double immunolabeled for either GFAP (red) and viral N (green) protein (A to F) or Cx43 (red) and viral N (green) protein (G to L). Cells were counterstained with DAPI. Mock-infected (A to C) and virus-infected (D to F) astrocytes appeared to be morphologically normal (thin arrow in panels A and C and thick arrow in panels D and F). Abundant punctate Cx43 staining was observed (thin arrow in panels G and I) in mock-infected brain tissue. In contrast, significant loss of Cx43 staining was observed in MHV-A59-infected brain tissue (thick arrow in panels J and L).